Yeshivah Centre letter regarding Rabbi Telsner resignation
Manny Waks
6 September 2015

Below is a letter the Yeshivah Centre published today regarding the recent resignation of Senior Rabbi Zvi Telsner (below that is the letter from the Yeshivah Centre Rabbinical Advisory Committee). While the praise heaped upon Rabbi Telsner seems inappropriate and misplaced - he has shown anything but humility over the last few years, at least in the context of the child sexual abuse scandal - I believe this would have been a pragmatic decision by the Yeshivah Centre interim Committee of Management to assuage those community member who are upset over these developments. True leadership on the part of Rabbi Telsner would have been to speak out in support of victims and their families, not engage in activities that resulted in the complete opposite. At the very least, he should have taken responsibility for his actions and inactions a long time ago - certainly well before he was compelled to do so at the Royal Commission. Hopefully we can all continue to move forward constructively.
Letter from the Yeshivah Centre Interim Committee of Management
כ"ב אלול תשע"ה
6th September, 2015
Dear Members, Parents, Friends and Supporters,
We write to you with very heavy hearts after the events of the past weeks - in particular, Rabbi Telsner's decision to stand down from his role as Rabbi at the Yeshivah Centre.
We acknowledge the deep concern and shock of many community members following Rabbi Telsner's decision. He and his wife served the community with devotion and selflessness for almost a decade. Together they helped many individuals and families in ways too numerous to enumerate with their open home and open hearts, always putting the community and its needs ahead of their own. This continues to be evident in his decision to now step down.
For all this and more, the Yeshivah Centre and the Melbourne community at large will always remain in debt.
In accordance with our commitment to transparency and accountability, we asked our Rabbinical Advisory Panel to review our involvement in the events that led up to Rabbi Telsner stepping down from his role. We understand that they will be communicating to the community in relation to this today.
Although on this occasion the decision was not ours to make, we would like to assure you of our commitment to thoughtful and considered management of the Yeshivah Centre, in line with the values of Torah, Chassidus and the directives of the Rebbe, and in close collaboration with the Rabbinical Advisory Panel.
We have been particularly inspired by Rabbi Telsner's humility in dealing with this matter and consider his response an act of true leadership from which we can all learn. We thank him sincerely for his tireless efforts and wish him well for this coming New Year.
We look forward to working with you over the coming months and welcome your continued feedback.
K’Sivah V’Chasimah Toivah, with blessings for a good and sweet new year.
Sincerely,
Leah Balter Craig Goldberg
Yechiel Belfer Shmuley Goldberg
Yossi Franck Rafi Goodman
Joel Gerschman Meir Moss
Letter from the Yeshivah Centre Interim Committee of Management
כ"ב אלול תשע"ה
6th September, 2015
Dear Members, Parents, Friends and Supporters,
We write to you with very heavy hearts after the events of the past weeks - in particular, Rabbi Telsner's decision to stand down from his role as Rabbi at the Yeshivah Centre.
We acknowledge the deep concern and shock of many community members following Rabbi Telsner's decision. He and his wife served the community with devotion and selflessness for almost a decade. Together they helped many individuals and families in ways too numerous to enumerate with their open home and open hearts, always putting the community and its needs ahead of their own. This continues to be evident in his decision to now step down.
For all this and more, the Yeshivah Centre and the Melbourne community at large will always remain in debt.
In accordance with our commitment to transparency and accountability, we asked our Rabbinical Advisory Panel to review our involvement in the events that led up to Rabbi Telsner stepping down from his role. We understand that they will be communicating to the community in relation to this today.
Although on this occasion the decision was not ours to make, we would like to assure you of our commitment to thoughtful and considered management of the Yeshivah Centre, in line with the values of Torah, Chassidus and the directives of the Rebbe, and in close collaboration with the Rabbinical Advisory Panel.
We have been particularly inspired by Rabbi Telsner's humility in dealing with this matter and consider his response an act of true leadership from which we can all learn. We thank him sincerely for his tireless efforts and wish him well for this coming New Year.
We look forward to working with you over the coming months and welcome your continued feedback.
K’Sivah V’Chasimah Toivah, with blessings for a good and sweet new year.
Sincerely,
Leah Balter Craig Goldberg
Yechiel Belfer Shmuley Goldberg
Yossi Franck Rafi Goodman
Joel Gerschman Meir Moss
Your browser does not support viewing this document. Click here to download the document.
Letter from the Yeshivah Centre Rabbinical Advisory Committee
The Rabbinical Advisory Panel was appointed to provide Halachic and Hashkafic oversight to the Interim Committee of Management of the Yeshivah (ICOM).
Members of the Rabbinical Advisory Panel have conducted lengthy investigations over the past few days regarding Rabbi Telsner's stepping down. In addition to a number of discussions with Rabbi Telsner himself, the Rabbinical Advisory Panel has also corroborated with others who were considered to have pertinent perspectives.
The Rabbinical Advisory Panel concluded that the facts were accurate, as announced. In light of recent events, Rabbi Telsner has chosen to put the moissad's interests ahead of his own by stepping down. Rabbi Telsner has stepped down of his own volition, before the ICOM could formulate their response.
We have been approached by a number of individuals who have expressed a range of concerns. At this point in time, we are working to ensure that protocols are put in place that will guarantee greater Rabbinic input into the ICOM. These will be announced in due course.
Our community is resilient and we are confident that it will continue to survive and flourish. By following the Derech Hatorah, Derech Halocho & Derech shel Chassidus Chabad, and by showing Ahavas Yisroel to all, especially to the more vulnerable members of our community, we are guaranteed that better times lie ahead.
We wish the entire community a Shana Tova U'mesuka, a sweet new year, a year of blessing and a year of Moshiach, and may we all work together to bring healing and peace to the community at large.
Signed,
Rabbi Yossi Gordon
Rabbi Avrohom Y Kievman
Rabbi Elisha Greenbaum
Rabbi Avrohom Jacks (Secretary)
The Rabbinical Advisory Panel was appointed to provide Halachic and Hashkafic oversight to the Interim Committee of Management of the Yeshivah (ICOM).
Members of the Rabbinical Advisory Panel have conducted lengthy investigations over the past few days regarding Rabbi Telsner's stepping down. In addition to a number of discussions with Rabbi Telsner himself, the Rabbinical Advisory Panel has also corroborated with others who were considered to have pertinent perspectives.
The Rabbinical Advisory Panel concluded that the facts were accurate, as announced. In light of recent events, Rabbi Telsner has chosen to put the moissad's interests ahead of his own by stepping down. Rabbi Telsner has stepped down of his own volition, before the ICOM could formulate their response.
We have been approached by a number of individuals who have expressed a range of concerns. At this point in time, we are working to ensure that protocols are put in place that will guarantee greater Rabbinic input into the ICOM. These will be announced in due course.
Our community is resilient and we are confident that it will continue to survive and flourish. By following the Derech Hatorah, Derech Halocho & Derech shel Chassidus Chabad, and by showing Ahavas Yisroel to all, especially to the more vulnerable members of our community, we are guaranteed that better times lie ahead.
We wish the entire community a Shana Tova U'mesuka, a sweet new year, a year of blessing and a year of Moshiach, and may we all work together to bring healing and peace to the community at large.
Signed,
Rabbi Yossi Gordon
Rabbi Avrohom Y Kievman
Rabbi Elisha Greenbaum
Rabbi Avrohom Jacks (Secretary)